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Handle public employee termination situations without legal and PR disasters

CEOs, HR leaders, company executives dealing with employee terminations

immediate crisis management

What Success Looks Like

Employee termination handled with dignity, no legal exposure, minimal negative PR, company reputation protected

Steps to Execute

1

Communicate termination privately first

2

Document legitimate business reasons

3

Provide clear severance terms

4

Handle public inquiries through official channels

5

Never mock or ridicule departing employees publicly

Checklist

Private conversation completed
Legal review of termination
Severance package offered
Public response prepared
Internal team briefed

Inputs Needed

  • Employment contract details
  • Performance documentation
  • Legal review
  • PR team input

Outputs

  • Clean employee separation
  • Protected company reputation
  • Avoided legal liability

Example

When Elon Musk publicly questioned a disabled employee's work contributions instead of handling the termination privately, it created legal liability for discrimination and privacy violations while generating massive negative PR